LAST week's Wangaratta Show was the perfect training run for next year's 150th, according to its secretary of 30 years, Bev Tiffin.
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"We usually have a good show and this year was no different," she said.
"Friday night, our entertainment night, was huge and the tradition animal show on Saturday was also very popular.
"We had 61 sheep in the ring, of various breeds, and a good number of fleeces were judged on Thursday.
"This was very encouraging because the fleeces section has been down in recent years but is obviously making a comeback."
Mrs Tiffin said equine numbers were also up.
"There were a lot of entries in the Show Hunters, a new division, and, in fact, there were a lot of breeds represented," she said.
"That included working Clydesdales.
"As usual the pavilion events were very popular, with 82 entries in the Decorated Marie Biscuits school division.
"The speckled park breed of cattle that were shown created a lot of interest and one from Snowline Speckle Park at Kergunyah South won the Grand Champion Bull as well as the Junior Champion."
Mrs Tiffin said part of the success of the show was the respect shown to it by other organisations, which try to avoid clashing dates for their events.
Meanwhile, Corowa held its 135th show on Sunday and secretary Jan McKenna said the day went well except for a bit of a disaster in the windy conditions.
"The racecourse is very open to the river and a large windstorm hit just after lunch," she said.
"Our big marquee we had in the equine section just took off -- it was ripped to shreds and the poles were bent."
But perhaps that provided a bit of entertainment for the showgoers and competitors.
"Crowds were good and so were the entries in the pavilion events," Mrs McKenna said.
"The number of horticulture entries were excellent while the photography section, the children's crafts and children's cooking entries were also up from last year."
But Mrs McKenna said it might be necessary for the show society to issue a challenge to all the local male sporting clubs.
"We only had one entry in the men's cooking section so it is time for the blokes to have a bit of a go," she said.
"But overall it was a very good show.
"The sheep numbers might have been down but the quality of the fleeces that were entered were unbelievable."